Projection Theater

New York, NY

Conceptual collage, acrylic, basswood, copper, 35 mm film

Could theater be more immersive if it lent itself less to helping performers execute convincing performances and instead focused on aiding the visitors to imagine themselves in the worlds performed?

Perhaps darkness could be even more convincing than light in its connotation of vastness, eternity, and the unknown.

This way of thinking about light led to a building design based on manipulation of light and interior form. In the case of film, an enclosed dark space is used to focus the senses and immerse an audience into the world created by the story in the light projected on to the wall, an intimate but shared experience.

Concept model of individual projection booths circumvented by an elevator system that functions both horizontally and vertically

People could be transported, both physically and psychologically into another place where they could chose from an array of experiences that would supplement their own past to create an extremely convincing narrative. Visitors would have no problem imagining themselves in this narrative because, in the space, the line is blurred between their experiences and the ones projected around and on them.

Gradual darkening would call for a change in viewing posture and simulate for the audience the act of falling asleep: beginning in the standing position and gradually transitioning to a lounging [almost laying] seating arrangement as they progress toward the core of the building.

Based on humans’ biomimetic relationship with light, waking up from sleep enables focus and unusual clarity of thought. This concept could be extremely powerful when channeled into a space for viewing art.

Concept model made with vellum, brass, and rockite

An in-stepping layering system could provide a series of enveloping experiences, growing progressively other-worldy as one travels deeper into the building. This would be an extremely symmetrical, proportional system of closing in, with each space getting smaller in floor area, darker, and taller in height. This proportional focusing in would be similar to that of a camera.

The in-stepping pattern would also be reflected on to the ground to form a gradual stepping down into the center of the site at ground level, along which one could look up and see the layering of the building and see [and also touch] the structure upholding it.

The next component of this building would be a more monolithic structure to house circulation and also the consistent program of the building-stairs elevators, offices, off-shoot galleries for each theater, and servers of projected art. This area is shown in red in the model to the left.

Sectional model showing layering of theaters

These two parts, the transparent and the monolithic could be connected with a transparent material which allows a glowing light to diffuse into the structure, visible from the ground floor but blocked by the walls of the theaters; leaving an ambient light in circulation spaces to supplement the highly contrasted darkness and light in the three theaters.

Elevation looking southeast from Columbus Avenue

As a site on the corner of Columbus Avenue and West 65th Street, this building’s alabaster panels stop 40 feet above Columbus Avenue, the busier of the two streets, welcoming visitors to step down off the street into the site. This is also accomplished by the layout of the columns, which channel the public in at the corners of the building (see ground level plan.)

Elevation looking northeast from West 65th Street

Along West 65th Street, the wall slopes gradually down to the ground, where one of the building’s entrances are located. It responds to the solid corner of Julliard across the street with an open corner as an inclusive gesture, asserting the building as a public access theater.

Theater Level One: interior landscape seating

From the ground level, the visitor enters into the conditioned part of the buildings where they can pick up tickets and begin ascending the building to the topmost theater and work their way down. At the bottom, the core of the building holds the darkest, tallest space in which the visitor can lounge on an interior landscape as projections flood the surrounding walls and ceilings.

Leading down to this space are two theaters, the first which is conducive to a standing audience and the next, a sitting audience. The visitor’s posture and attention is shifted from a passive standing atmosphere where ambient, abstract projections are shown to a sitting space. Here, more formal films are played. Next is the lounging space where the more immersible, most serious projected art/film can be exhibited.

Section through theaters and gallery spaces

The heightening of each space allows for lights to be further recessed into the sunken 10’ floor space surrounding each theater. This allows the systems of the building to slip away as the experience intensifies. For every theater there is a supplementary gallery, which serves as a palate cleanser between the nearly overwhelming sensory experiences within the theaters.